CHAPTER 43
Antonio
AS SOON AS we walked back into the venue, she rushed to find Cesar and her brother.
I watched as she smiled and laughed with them. I felt a sting in my chest as I remembered how I took that smile from her—not too long ago—and replaced it with tears.
I’d never forgive myself for the way I made her feel. I simply couldn’t.
Although she seems happy and okay with me—with us —I knew she was still hurt.
I left, making my way outside with a glass of champagne in my hand.
My mind traveled to every single event that took place today. A small smile of shock and disbelief grew on my face as I remembered what had happened before we left here.
I’ve seen so much, and never have I been more shocked than when I saw Cesar—someone I’ve known for so long—pinning another man to the wall with his tongue down his throat.
It was strange to see at first since he always got so much attention from women.
In all these years of knowing each other, not once had he given me a reason to believe that he didn’t care for any of their attention.
Or maybe I just wasn’t paying close enough attention.
I brought my drink up to my lips, taking a sip as I stood on the sand, watching the waves crash in front of me.
“Yes, it would be a great place to dump a body.”
I turned my head—surprised—as Silvia approached me. I watched as she walked over, one hand holding her dress up and out of the sand, and the other holding a glass of champagne.
She stopped next to me, and we both stood side by side, facing the ocean.
“I don’t like you,” she said, and I scoffed. That was fucking obvious.
“I hadn’t noticed,” I sarcastically said, taking a sip of my drink.
“But she likes you… loves you, actually,” she corrected herself.
“You’re stating the obvious quite a lot today, huh?” I mused, watching her take a deep breath in.
“Can you shut up? I’m trying to be sincere,” she whipped around to face me.
“Well, you’re doing an awful job,” I said, taking a sip and she forced a smile.
“I’ll just get to the point since you’re not in the mood for conversation,” she rushed through.
“Not with you,” I clarified, turning my head slightly to look at her. I could see the wheels turning in her head and it took everything in me not to smile in her face.
“Okay, I deserve that and this attitude thing you’ve got going on,” she admitted. “But, I just can’t understand how someone like you can make her happy.”
“Someone like me?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. I know who you are, and what you’re capable of,” she rolled her eyes.
“Yet, you still push my buttons and find yourself in a position where you’re alone with me.”
“That’s because I’m not afraid of you,” she scoffed. “Nirah would have your head on a silver platter if she found out you hurt me.”
I couldn’t help but grin as I stepped towards her. “I know about a few ways to kill you, get rid of your body, and still get wedding sex from her because that girl loves me so much that not even your dead body could come between us. But go ahead… try me.”
“You’re lying,” she narrowed her eyes up at me.
“Yeah?” I taunted. “I was the one who forced her father out of her life,” I said, and her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “And she still let me fuck her.”
“What…” she breathlessly said.
“So don’t even think for a second that she’d choose you over me and even if she did, I’d put you in the ground myself.”
“This is exactly why you’re not good enough for her. You’re vile and murderous, and don’t deserve someone as good as her.”
“Yeah? And who does?” I challenged and she swallowed hard. “I am the only man that can give her what she wants and needs, without needing anything in return.”
She turned towards the ocean and I bit down on my teeth, annoyed by her mere presence. “Fine,” she finally said. “Let’s agree to disagree. I agree that you can give her what she needs but I disagree that she’d choose you over my dead body.”
I scoffed, shaking my head. “Let’s make amends,” she extended her hand. “For Nirah. I won’t like you, but I’ll keep it to myself. You’ll do the same.”
“I don’t need to do anything.”
“We’re doing this for Nirah so that her husband and best friend can get along,” she irritably said.
She faced me and put her hand out. “Forced acquaintances?”
With reluctance, I mentally admitted that this would be what’s best for Nirah. So I nodded.
“Perfect,” she smiled before turning around to leave. “Oh wait!” she gasped, whipping around towards me and her glass of champagne spills all over my suit jacket. “Oops,” she faked surprise. “You might want to clean that up.”
With a whip of her hair, she walked away, leaving anger radiating off of me.
I shrugged off my jacket, making my way inside. Don’t kill her. Don’t kill her. Do not kill her.
I handed my jacket to one of the workers and started looking for Nirah, but I couldn’t find her.
Not where I had last left her and not by any of the tables.
“Woah,” I said as Stephanie stumbled towards me. I caught her and she looked at me in confusion.
“Oh. It’s you—I’m sorry,” she laughed, standing up by herself. I lifted my eyes, looking over her head, still searching for Nirah. “Hey—if you’re looking for Nirah, you might want to check the dance floor,” she snickered and my head snapped down to her.
“The dance floor?”
“Yep,” she laughed.
I stepped around her, making my way to the dance floor but immediately stopped as I saw Nirah dancing with Cesar.
She had the biggest smile on her face as she danced in the most ridiculous ways with him.
In the middle of it, he shrugged his suit jacket off, spinning it in the air. The guests laughed—including her—and I watched as she grabbed his tie, pulling him towards her.
They wiggled their shoulders, going back and forth, and I sat down on the chair, watching as she had the time of her life.
The two of them turned to face Nereus and his eyes grew wide. He had been stuffing his face and didn’t expect to be put on the spot. Nirah and Cesar reeled him in, and after he joined them, so did everyone else.
I couldn’t keep my eyes off her beautiful smile. She was my wife. My forever.
Nereus had started a train, and everyone placed their hands on each other’s shoulders, dancing out the door.
After Nirah spun around her eyes landed on me. I shook my head as she ran towards me. “Nirah—no–” I got cut off as she hopped onto my lap, smashing her lips against mine. I held onto her lower back as she broke the kiss.
“I want to go dancing with the devil,” she whispered. “Come on, Diavolo . Dance with me.”
For the first time in years, my heart was beating with a better purpose.
Not just to keep me alive, but to live for someone. My heart—cold and empty—had suddenly been filled with more love than I had ever received, or ever imagined of giving.
Nirah Joy had taught me what love was. She taught me how to love. And she taught me that even someone like me was capable of being loved.
Nirah Joy was my beginning and end.
“Sure,” I gave in, watching her eyes glisten with joy.
Her smile—so soft, genuine, and pure—vanished within the blink of an eye.
My body tensed, as I stared into her dilated pupils.
Slowly, I lifted my hand, feeling the syringe she had just stuck into my neck. My legs went numb first, as the substance seeped into my veins, targeting my muscles one by one.
“I recognized you that night outside the club,” she lowered her voice. “I knew exactly who you were… I mean, your resemblance to your brother is uncanny, Antonio.”
My voice was strangled. “Nirah?”
“I knew that if I could wrap you around my little finger, you’d do anything I say,” she said—overconfident. “Even kill your own brother.”
“Nirah,” Nereus breathlessly ran up to us. “It’s done. Let’s go.”
My eyes darted back to Nirah in denial. “I’m free,” she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes. “You killed them. All of them, Antonio. Every man that has ever hurt me. My father, Sylvester, Loren, and Alexander.”
A lump expanded in my throat, and darkness filled the corners of my eyes.
“Nirah, we have to leave before they come back,” Nereus’ voice echoed in my ears.
Nirah pulled my head to her chest, softly caressing my back. “Shh,” she cooed, slowly rocking back and forth and my vision blurred. “ Riposa, Diavolo…”